Community Betterment | Convention & Visitors Bureau | Economic Development

Economic Indicators | Membership Services & Outreach | Public Policy

ISSUE : 23 JUNE 14, 2010

FLOOD RECOVERY EFFORTS CONTINUE

Citizens with storm damage to their residential or commercial property and have not had their property assessed can call 830-221-4561 or -4562, -4563 or -4564 to report the damage. The City Police Department will continue to guard against looting and to provide extra security for damaged properties. Damage assessment continued through the weekend and the recovery and cleanup stages are now underway. The City will provide curb side collection that began last Friday and residents may take debris to the Mesquite Creek Landfill at 1700 Kohlenberg Road and FM 1101. Information on the recovery and how you can help can be found at www.nbcham.org/recovery .

FIRST RESPONDERS - HEROES ABUNDANT

City and County law enforcement and Fire Department personnel performed at extremely high and effective levels last Wednesday morning. Heroes were abundant among both professional responders and ordinary citizens. Dramatic rescues were performed by Darren Brinkkoetter with the New Braunfels Fire Department, local businessman Craig Kneuper, Rivermill Texas owner Peter Serebrenik, Dr. Bob Bower, and others. Your C&VB has launched a social campaign whereby visitors to the Chamber/CVB website can tell their own "heroes" story from the Flood of 2010.

OPTIONS FOR SUMMER VISITORS REMAIN

Despite the Comal River and parts of the Guadalupe River being closed this past weekend, Schlitterbahn was already back in business and visitors began to return to the community. Downtown New Braunfels was unaffected as was the Historic District of Gruene. Also unaffected was Natural Bridge Caverns and the Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch. Local arts and cultural organizations were also open for business. Water recreation along the Comal River and rest of the Guadalupe River is expected to return as soon as damage and safety assessments are concluded.

FLOOD DIDN'T DETER MILLER, WENTWORTH

The Chamber's Government Committee was scheduled to meet at 7:30 am Wednesday morning in Honors Hall. At the time the meeting was to begin, Garden Street was at least two feet underwater and the roads leading to the Chamber from many parts of the city were inaccessible. Despite those obstacles, State Representative Doug Miller arrived at the Garden Street city parking lot in time for the meeting. State Senator Jeff Wentworth traveled to New Braunfels from San Antonio and made it to the same parking lot. Our State Elected Officials made good use of the time by meeting on state issues when no one could access Honors Hall. Now that's dedication!

CHRISTUS CARDIO CENTER OPENS TODAY

A full service cardiovascular center is now open for business at CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital - New Braunfels. The new center offers the latest state of the art technology to perform everything from advanced diagnostic procedures to complex interventional procedures and well as open heart surgery. The18,000 sq. ft. facility at the hospital's main campus off Union Avenue includes two new cardiac catharization labs, a new cardiovascular operating room, and necessary support space. This $11 million investment in the community will lower the outmigration of medical services and dollars to Bexar County. Kudos to CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital - New Braunfels for their latest investment in the health and healing of our community!

GALLUP TO CUSTOMER SERVICE IMPROVEMENT - PROFITS

The Chamber's Business Advisory Committee is proud to present their next seminar entitled "The Emotional Economy" on June 30 in the Civic/Convention Center. The seminar will begin at 8:30 am and adjourn at noon. Jeff Tobaben, a managing partner of the Gallup organization's Texas operations, will utilize Gallup polling data to show you what's important to your employees and customers and how to translate that into real profits for your business. Seating is limited so register now at www.nbcham.org/seminar . The fee for the seminar is $40 for Chamber members and $55 for non-members. The seminar sponsors are Hill Country Payroll, Inc. and Barnard-Donegan Insurance.

Sign up now for our popular and successful Perfect Attendance and Teacher Appreciation Cards that benefit Comal County students and teachers in our public and private schools. Participation is FREE to your business and more than 35,000 cards are distributed each school year. Your business receives incredible exposure during the four 9-week periods the cards are distributed to students. Teachers receive their cards in May during "Teacher Appreciation Week" and in August to all new teachers. Easy to participate. Where else can you reach so many potential customers? Please Click Here to complete the form. Provide a discount from the regular retail price such as 20% discount, $1 off or a free item. For more information contact Sandi Schendel at 830-608-2807 or sandi@nbcham.org .

HIGH TECH MOVIE THEATER BREAKS GROUND NEXT FRIDAY

Town Center at Creekside is proud to welcome their latest tenant, Starplex Theaters with a groundbreaking this Friday morning beginning at 11:30 am. The fourteen-screen complex will have all stadium seating with high resolution digital technology and is one of the largest private sector investments in the Austin-San Antonio corridor at the present time. The Town Center at Creekside, located at IH-35 and FM 306, is fast becoming a major shopping center for the City of New Braunfels. Newquest Properties and their partner Lockhard Development are bucking the trend of the national recession in pursuing tenants like Starplex that will benefit New Braunfelsers. Welcome, Starplex Theaters!

PAST CHAIRS FETED TUESDAY

Chamber Past Chairs of the Board since 1968 will be treated at a mixer in their honor in Honors Hall tomorrow beginning at 5:00 pm. Christopher Grace Catering will be providing the hors d'oeuvres. 2010 Chamber Chair Larry Hammonds and Chamber President Michael Meek will give those in attendance a briefing on the NB 2020 goals as well as Chamber activities during its 91st year. The first gathering of the Past Chairs was held last February 23 at the Friesenhaus Restaurant and Bakery and the last session of 2010 will be held November 30 at a time and location to be determined.

CVB ACTIVE ON MULTIPLE FRONTS

Along with their extensive communication duties with the Flood of 2010 with visitors and the local visitor industry, the Chamber's C&VB is also busy on other fronts. A hospitality training kit has been ordered for use with the local visitor industry; the arts and cultural campaign project is moving forward; map sales have begun on the official city/county community map and the results from the market segmentation study are complete. A draft of the 2010 proposed budget will be presented to the C&VB Strategy and Steering Committee this week and then on to the Chamber Board of Directors at their next meeting on June 21. Doing the things . . . .

Quote of the Week

"You can expect any change, no matter how much for the better, to be accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts."

Arnold Bennett, Bits and Pieces on Leadership, June 2010

The Week Ahead:

Monday:

8:00 am - AACOG Focus Group

6:00 pm - City Council

Tuesday:

10:00 am - AACOG Focus Group

1145 am - NBMA

2:00 pm - MS 150

4:00 pm - Audit Committee